Le Thi Huong receives death sentence at a trial in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province Thursday for trying to murder her creditors. Photo by Nguyen Long

A woman and wife of a former official from Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province near Ho Chi Minh City was sentenced to death Thursday for attempted murder of her creditors.

Le Thi Huong, 39, has already been accused of killing another local woman, who was also her debtor, in 2012.

Huong had invited her creditor Phan Ngoc Nga over in January last year, saying to discuss the debt of VND160 million (US$7,590) including half not listed on paper.

Then she tried to kill Nga and the husband Nguyen Chi Hung with a machete, leaving 17 slashes on the man’s head and arms, and two on Nga’s.

Investigation had found that she cheated Hung to come to her backyard to pick up eggs for Nga, who came to her home from a hospital and was tired, only to attack him from behind. Nga came out after hearing his screams and also got hit.

But Huong said at the trial that she did not plan any killing, and that her action came out of anger.

“They forced me to sign a paper saying I owe more than VND300 million.”

She said they had argued before she turned to pick up an ax nearby.

Prosecutors at the judge said Huong’s action was violent and she showed little repentance by still lying at the court.

They said there’s no hope in bettering her.

Huong is the wife of Vo Thanh My, who lost his post as chief of Kim Long Commune's Party unit in the province’s Chau Duc District due to the scandal besieging his wife.

Local authorities said Huong had capitalized on her husband’s position to borrow money from many people to fund her gambling habits.

The Vung Tau police are probing a separate case in which Huong was accused of killing Duong Thi Thuy Binh Ha, a then local official who lent her VND200 million ($9,560), in May 2012.

Huong confessed to the police that she had indeed burnt the woman's body and scattered the bones and ashes in her garden and a neighbor's.